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Result: Monivea 14 Creggs 10
Competition: Connacht Junior Cawley Cup Final
Creggs Team: Austin Diffley, Nigel Glennon, Alan Glennon, Paul Turley, Joe Heavey, Kieran Egan (Capt.), Alan Ward, Pat Cunningham, Mark Brandon, Noel Flynn, Paul Bradley, Mark Hester, Daniel Keane, Colin Looby, Tom Lyons. Subs used: Jonathan Mulligan for Looby (54 mins.); Enda Muldoon for Hester, inj. (60 mins.); Kieran Coyne for Joe Heavey (72 mins.).
MONIVEA: Barry McGann, Owen Curran, Richard Caulfield, David Diffley, Patrick Fitzmaurice, Noel Rabbitte, Donal Keane, Martin King, Ronan Collins, Pat Blade, Chris Donnellan, Phelim Cloonan, Michael Concar, Declan Ruane, Kevin Higgins. Subs used: Michael Treacy for Donal Keane (20 mins.); Colm Colleran for Declan Ruane (58 mins.); John Culkin for Concar (66 mins.). Blood sub: John Gavin for David Diffley (23 mins.).
Referee: Dermot Fahy.
Match Report:
Creggs suffer pain of defeat
THOSE customary well-intentioned post-match three cheers rang hallow. For the obvious reason, nothing can quell the pain of cup final defeat. Secondly though, and more agonisingly, Creggs were so so near to making a home for the inaugural Cawley Cup in the border village. Creggs and Monivea have always produced great battles down through the years. Among those were the Connacht Junior League Finals of 1987 and 1990, both of which Creggs won, 7-0 and 9-6 respectively. They also had a tremendous Connacht Junior Cup Final win over the same opposition in 1989 on a scoreline of 3-0. No doubt, these two were no strangers to each other in finals.
And true to form, another cliff hanger was in prospect at sun-drenched Galwegians on St. Patrick's Day. In the presentation arena following the game, Monivea was branded "the better team". Yes, they may have shaded it but such a edict could not be coloured in terms of black and white.
For instance, for a long time of the second period, Creggs had literally camped out in the Monivea half that one expected the camp fire to be lit at any moment and the pack to gather round for the traditional pot of beans. Yet, for all their possession, Creggs did not make it tell until the 78th minute, when captain Kieran Egan crashed over the line for a superb try. With two minutes left on the clock, Creggs trailed 14-10.
The score set up a closing finale like no other. From the restart, possession was garnered by the men from The Green, with Mark Brandon kicking a delicate effort to touch deep inside the Monivea 22. And, Creggs went in search of that winning try.
In the ensuing line-out Monivea overturned Creggs possession, but failed to hold it as Creggs closed them down quickly, garnering a precious 82nd minute penalty. Kicking for goals was not an option, and so Creggs sought their line-out again in the Monivea 22.
From the line-out, the oval was spread wide, only for Monivea to spoil the move and concede another penalty. So near the line, Creggs took the opportunity to run it, but when possession was overturned again, Tuam referee Dermot Fahy blew the final whistle to the detriment of Captain Egan's side.
The general consensus afterwards was that Creggs had failed to lay adequate foundations in the opening period. A number of missed kicks, both from the hands and from placed balls, along with other errors, deprived the border club of much needed scores.
Creggs began at a furious pace, the creative Brandon seeking to carve an opening. He almost did in the opening minute when he released Daniel Keane, but Monivea recovered sufficiently to repel the Creggs attack.
This flourish paid off for Creggs, who were awarded a 35 metre third minute penalty. However, kicker Noel Flynn could only look on as he observed his effort fall short of the mark. Flynn had double cause for disgust when two minutes later his ambitious drop kick fell short.
Fair to say, the opening 15 minutes belonged to Creggs, but as the contest progressed Monivea found their rhythm. On 15 minutes, a super tackle by Egan disturbed the Monivea train momentarily, but in the ensuing scrum, Creggs was wheeled and possession returned to Monivea.
In the next play, Monivea took possession to within 30 metres of the posts, and were awarded a penalty after Creggs' hands illegally impeded the ball returning from a Monivea ruck. Chris Donnellan, brother of Galway footballers Michael and John, made no mistake in converting.
Creggs responded. Taking play up to just outside their opponents' 22, Monivea were penalised for coming in from the side. Out-half Flynn stepped up, but his 17th minute effort shirked the outside of the left upright. They could have done with that one to settle cup final nerves.
With the first quarter well and truly behind them, both teams looked to move it up a gear. Hard hits and tackles were ten a penny, with Paul Turley and Mark Hester the staunch defendants of the maroon and white. And so Creggs began to reassert themselves, with Brandon combining with Pat Cunningham and Hester to extract another penalty from the Monivea rearguard. More composed, Flynn had little trouble in delivering on this occasion; 3-3.
When Donnellan missed an easy chance on 30 minutes, it appeared as if the rub of the green was with the Creggs boys. Not so though. Monivea captain and first centre Phelim Cloonan, who gave a man of the match performance, and second centre Michael Concar began to nick the Creggs' lines, which were now at full stretch.
In the five minute preceding the half-time whistle, Monivea made their possession count on the scoreboard. And this was more or less, the building of that 'bridge too far' for Creggs. Firstly, Donnellan struck over a 25-metre kick on 36 minutes to make it 6-3, before scrum-half Ronan Collins linked with Pat Blade and Cloonan to put full-back Kevin Higgins, brother of Athenry hurler Brian, in for an excellent 40th minute try.
In truth, this was a killer blow for Creggs, that vital score coming just before the interval. Creggs should have held their line, but too many missed tackles allowed Monivea to gain an eight-point advantage (Donnellan having spurned the conversion chance) at the interval.
For the second half, Creggs dominated, pushing forward at every opportunity. Was it not for the defending and counter attacking of Donnellan, Cloonan and Concar, Creggs may well have breached Monivea lines in the third quarter.
With both teams fighting tooth and nail for further scores, and the St. Patrick's Day sunshine sapping energy, mistakes began to be made, which proved to be more costly for Creggs than Monivea.
In truth, Monivea only seriously threatened once throughout the whole 40 minutes of the second half, with a great burst from full-back Higgins taking play up to the Creggs line. It took all Creggs' guile to keep their opposition at bay, but it came with a price as the concession of a penalty under the post also meant the concession of three more points.
Ten minutes left, and trailing 14-3, Creggs piled on the pressure in a frantic attempt to keep their cup hopes alive. Monivea's defence remained resolute, disciplined and organised until the 78th minute when good work from Brandon, Nigel Glennon and Pat Cunningham set up Egan for a try under the posts. With Flynn converting the resulting spot kick, Creggs chased a four-point deficit, a deficit that was that 'bridge too far'.
And so it ended, the disappointment on the Creggs players' faces was palpable to say the least. They had their gallant heroes, some of which have already been alluded to above. However, as a unit they may feel they could have raised their game that little bit extra. Not always easy on cup final day though.
It must also be taken into account that this Monivea team are seeking a place in the All-Ireland League, having successfully negotiated the Connacht qualifiers, where they will contest against Leinster champions Kilkenny, Ulster champions Ards and the Munster champions (yet to be decided) in the All-Ireland series. Hence, this was a well-tuned Monivea side.
On the agenda next for Creggs is the Connacht Junior Cup, with a mouth-watering contest with the Connemara All-Blacks in the pipeline. With such a distinguished history also between these two sides, this will be quite a game. Should Creggs take a victory in that clash, then another march to a cup final could be in the offing.
We may yet see the return of glory days at The Green in 2003.